1. Technical Field
Aspects of this document relate generally to systems and methods for evaluating characteristics of human speech, such as prosody, fluency, and proficiency.
2. Background
Those learning a second language often undergo proficiency examinations or tests performed by human evaluators. These examinations are intended to allow the speech of the learner to be assessed and, in some systems, scored by the human evaluator using various criteria, such as fluency, to determine the learner's proficiency. An example of a conventional test used for assessment is the Test of English as a Second Language (TOEFL) administered by Education Testing Service (ETS) of Princeton, N.J.